This invention relates to water treatment apparatus which includes a filter member through which the water passes as it is treated in the apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus, such as a countertop water treatment appliance, uses a gas, preferably ozone, as a water treatment agent.
Water treatment apparatus using oxidizing gases have been developed. Some of these devices operate on a batch basis. According to this process, the water is placed in a treatment container and the treatment agent (e.g. a gas), is disbursed through the water, such as via a sparger. Following the completion of the cycle, the water may then be used. As part of the treatment process, the water may be passed through a filter member such as a carbon block filter. As water is passed through the carbon block filer, the operation of the filter results in the pores becoming blocked and the rate of water flow therethough diminishes until such time as the filter is replaced.
While domestic water treatment applications are known, they typically use only filtration to remove a variety of dissolved materials in the water. While ozone has become generally accepted in the field of municipal water treatment, it has not been adopted into wide scale application in the home. There are several reasons for this, one of which is consumer confidence. After water is treated with ozone, it contains decomposition products produced by the oxidizing action of ozone which are preferably removed prior to dispensing.
In accordance with the instant invention, there is provided a domestic countertop water treatment apparatus comprising a water treatment reservoir which has at least a vertical portion that is at least translucent; a housing having an ozone source in flow communication with the water treatment reservoir for treating water in the water treatment reservoir; a carbon block filter and a water pump mounted in the housing, the carbon block filter and the water pump in flow communication with the water treatment reservoir for removing treated water from the water treatment reservoir and passing the treated water through the carbon block filter; and, a treated water reservoir which has at least a vertical portion that is at least translucent and is positioned downstream from the carbon block filter for receiving treated water from the carbon block filter, wherein the rate of drop of the water level in the water treatment reservoir is form 60% to 140% of the rate of rise of the water level the treated water reservoir.
In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a domestic countertop water treatment apparatus comprising a water treatment reservoir which has at least a vertical portion that is at least translucent; a housing having an ozone source in flow communication with the water treatment reservoir for treating water in the water treatment reservoir; a carbon block filter and a water pump mounted in the housing, the carbon block filter and the water pump in flow communication with the water treatment reservoir for removing treated water from the water treatment reservoir and passing the treated water through the carbon block filter; and, a treated water reservoir which has at least a vertical portion that is at least translucent and is positioned downstream from the carbon block filter for receiving treated water from the carbon block filter whereby, as treated water is dispensed from the water treatment reservoir to the treated water reservoir, the level of water in the water treatment reservoir is visibly lowered while the level of water in the treated water reservoir is visibly raised.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a switch which, when actuated, automatically actuates the water pump to dispense treated water from the water treatment reservoir to the treated water reservoir.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a treated water dispenser, the treated water reservoir is separate from the housing and the switch is actuated when the treated water reservoir is positioned beneath the treated water dispenser.
In another embodiment, the ozone source comprises an ozone generator.
In another embodiment, each of the vertical strip of the water treatment reservoir and the treated water reservoir is transparent. Preferably all, or substantially all, of the water treatment reservoir and the treated water reservoir is sufficiently transparent so that a user may view the water level as it is reduced in the water treatment reservoir and view the water level in the treated water reservoir as the water is dispensed.
In another embodiment, the water treatment reservoir and the treated water reservoir have approximately the same volume.
In another embodiment, the rate of reduction of the water level in the water treatment reservoir is approximately the same as the rate of increase of the water level in the treated water reservoir.
In another embodiment, the carbon block filter has pores which are less than 50xcexc, preferably less than 10xcexc and more preferably are less than 1xcexc.